Tribute to Latestarter

[Mike CHS]

I remember Joe posting about that and his gift of story telling played well with that one. When Mel is doing the stare thing, I am sitting on a bucket and he is several inches above me so I'm not sure how he gets down to eye level.

He has only jumped up on me once but with his paws on my shoulders, his head was about a foot and a half above me.

 

[Mini Horses]

There's a TV ad about some meds --- anyway, there is in it a flying pig! Everytime I see it, I think of Latestarter...with good memories and sadness that he isn't still around.

 

[Devonviolet]

DH and I think of Joe often, and we miss him terribly! He was always quick to jump in and help others, but just hated asking for help for himself. I felt honored when he called me from the hospital and asked us to feed his animals.

A few days before he died, he was sure he would be going home. So, we were shocked when his son (who had flown in from out West) called and said he was in ICU and not expected to live.

I can’t say it any better than @Baymule!

I miss my friend. When pigs fly Joe!

I will never forget the day we took the goats to auction! What a circus they had rounding them up to get them in the trailer!!! I couldn’t help because I was recovering from foot surgery. But perseverance paid off and the last one eventually got loaded.
The auction wasn’t until the next evening. We got there early because I wanted to check on them. One of the girls had JUST delivered twins and I didn’t have any supplies with me. So there I stood in a dirty stall in my post surgical boot using paper towels to dry the babies off.

Long story short, it all worked out well and we managed to get a nice $$$ amount for Joe’s kids. More than I thought we would get, that’s for sure!!

It was a pleasure meeting Joe’s kids and I’m glad we were able to help them with the animals.

 

[Devonviolet]

The first time we went to visit Joe, at his new farm, we got to meet Mel. We were blown away by how big he was. Here are some photos that I took of Joe with Mel, showing how big that Gentle Giant was!!!


One day Joe came over for a visit, and we were making a gate, for our new shelter, in one of the two new back chicken runs. Well, of course, Joe had to help. Here he is, with DH, after they finished installing the new gate.



That’s our late/beloved turkey hen, Edith in front.

DH fondly remembers all the times Joe would come, to visit and in his own gentle way make suggestions, for things that we might do differently, to improve the farm. My favorite was his suggestion to used fermented chicken feed, instead of the dry layer pellets we were using. So, we started making fermented feed, and have always had healthy, strong birds since then.

 

[Bruce]

His journal is still here

@Ffagirl22 if you haven't found it, here it is. The story starts earlier on BYC.

 

[Baymule]

Great walk down memory lane @Devonviolet . Thanks for posting those pictures.

 

[Devonviolet]

My absolute favorite memory of Joe, was a about a month before he died. He wasn’t feeling well, but he drove to our house, to bring us some milk, from his goats. He just couldn’t drink it all, and since I was making cheese, he brought it to us.

I remember standing in the front yard, talking with him, and being blown away (again) with how genuinely kind and caring this man was! There was just such a sweet gentleness about him. When you got to know him, you just couldn’t help but love him.

And again, as @Baymule said, We love you Joe! When pigs fly Joe!!!

 

[Poka_Doodle]

Wow, I just came upon this, I had actually gone to his profile last week and noticed it had been a couple years since he was last on. Fly high Latestarter.

 

[Bruce]

It was quite a shock, he is still missed and thought of here and on BYC.

 

[JACB Dorper]

Ah Joe...

One gets busy with life and living in the real world (must be having fun because the years have clattered on by)...BUT honestly, I wasn't expecting to find you gone.

You've always made time for me when I pop in and there on my profile you've dropped me a note...and, and I can't write you a note back my friend, not now--your message has gone unanswered but can you hear me now...as I whisper "I'm fine?" & it echoes because you are not here to hear it. "I'm fine..."

Loved your clock with falling numbers as your profile's avatar on BYC...loved our chats.

Never be a goat person, ovines for moi...but it was the dogs and the birds that we both shared love for and for food from our own dirt and attacking our interests...admiring each others successes and laughing despite our failures.

Special man full of greatness he just oozed and shared so willingly...and yes Joe, you did start later than some , but you made up for that with vim & vigour...you hit the floor running. You had to, making up for lost time...?? Now I know what the rush was about, what the urgency meant...why Mel, why goats, why pigzz can fly...I know why. I think you knew why time flies when you find what makes you joyful...that ticking clock gobbled up the calendar and some how you knew what none of us want to know. Time was not your friend...it never is to us mortals.

I do know what heaven is though...heaven is a place where we can explore every inkling we ever thought possible...be it bees, kunekunes, sheep/goats, those birds of a feather, and them partners in crime, our beloved dogs. We're planning a litter of puppies Joe...it's been over 20 years since our last... Em's gonna have puppies Joe & you'd be so excited for us.

Ah Joe...

Heel low doggone it...I'm fine...if only not for time...late starter, late for dinner, late to the party, late to say it.

I'm fine, Joe...wish you were here. The weather's nice, here in Pear-A-Dice...postcard from heaven...